Former American basketball player Dennis Rodman recently visited North Korea to host a basketball exhibition game with President Kim Jong Un who he calls a "friend for life." While there, he engaged in a nationally televised and totally incoherent defense of North Korea's secret imprisonment of American citizen Kenneth Bae. Later he apologized, admitting to have been intoxicated during the tirade.

Since then the commentary has focused on why Rodman visited and serenaded the North Korean dictator for his birthday. Theories range from mental instability, boredom, publicity seeking and genuine attempts at bridge building through "basketball diplomacy."

But the more important and troubling question is why Kim adores and is so obsessed and fascinated with Rodman? Why care about the motivation of the former athlete? Rodman isn't the one running barbaric prison camps, murdering political dissidents, perpetuating a cult of personality and starving his own people.

Given the secrecy of North Korea, and Kim's young age, there isn't much public information on his personality, but his adulation of Rodman gives us a glimpse into his juvenile, immature, dangerous and self-obsessed mind.

Childhood friends recalled that Kim "spent hours doing meticulous pencil drawings of Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan," according to the Washington Post. He obsessed over basketball and computer games. He certainly hasn't grown out of his childish ways.

Kim's friendship with Rodman reflects the young dictator's spoiled child-like personality. He makes his army shoot missiles into the sea, threatens the United States with a bizarre video showing a sleeping Korean dreaming about destroying New York to the tune of "We Are The World" and of course plays with his favorite athlete.

He is fearful of playing with journalists and others who may give him real scrutiny, so he plays with the idolized athlete who will mindlessly sing him happy birthday, pat him on the back, let him know he is a good little boy.

This represents the cult-like and childish culture of Kim's regime. He opens his arms to drink, laugh and watch Rodman shoot hoops, but is tight- lipped and secretive over Bae's detention and the millions his regime is oppressing. He is like a schoolyard bully that loves positive attention, but fears real critique and accountability.

Let's stop obsessing over why Rodman would visit Kim. He is an attention-obsessed former athlete, who may or may not be motivated by good intentions. We all know that.

Let's instead focus our attention on how Rodman's friendship with Kim can give us a glimpse into the dictator's mind and motivations. So far all we see is a spoiled and ruthless schoolyard bully that likes to play with his favorite athlete, and is unwilling to leave his fantasy world.

Eliyahu Federman is an executive at an e-commerce company. He writes frequently on religion, culture, business and law. Follow him on twitter @EliFederman.